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A macrocycle in training covers normally a period of six months or a full year and
is single or double periodized according to the need for one or two competition
periods in the year. The choice is restricted in events that can be performed only
outdoors. However, if two competitive periods are avoided by lengthening the
summer season, athletes are overlooking the physiological principles of
maintaining their performance capacity.
CONSIDERATIONS
Keeping in mind the physiological principles and the competition calendar, the
following important factors must be taken into consideration in the planning of
macrocycles:
The design of a macrocycle should closely follow the long term training
plan. Emphasis, according to this, should be placed on the planned
changes to the organism and the development of the planned physical
capacities in a given year. If there is a conflict between the long term plan
and the competition demands, the first must take priority.
There are limits to the adaptation of the organism to training and the
adaptation capacity has to be restored by relative recoveries (reduced
training load). To continue intensive training and competition without
restoration leads to a drop of performance and even over-training. It is
therefore wrong to expect an athlete to maintain top form six months or
more during a year.
The temporary loss of adaptive energy and its restoration has made it
necessary to employ a cyclic structure in training, considered by Matveyev
as the basic principle in the planning of training. The structure is based on
changes in the training loads and recoveries in the microcycles (4 to 7
days) and mesocycles (4 to 6 microcycles) that make up a macrocycle.
The two major tasks of all macrocycles are the creation of movement
potential and its realization. The first refers to the fulfillment of certain
quantitative demands, the second to the improvement of technique to
correspond to the newly acquired level of physical capacities. As the
quantitative demands of training lead to a considerable fatigue level of the
organism, it is necessary to solve the two tasks separately.
To put the above mentioned facts into the training program is relatively simple.
Usually the preparation period begins with an emphasis on general physical
preparation, aiming to lay a foundation for specific training. This emphasis is
gradually reduced, leading to more specific training that culminates in
competitions. The training load is in the first half of the preparation period
increased by adding to the work volume. As the competition period approaches,
the volume is gradually reduced and the intensity increased.
PROBLEMS
Taking all the above into consideration indicates that it is advisable to make use
of a control competition cycle. This will help to speed up the development of
performance capacities, reduces monotony and allows evaluating of the
effectiveness of training. Indoor competitions can therefore be recommended,
provided the training load is not drastically reduced prior to the competitive cycle
and sufficient recovery is allowed before training is resumed.
The adaptation that takes place in the training processes can be graphically
shown as a steadily rising curve (fig.1, A). However, looking the same way at the
different functional indicators that are related to the performance capacity and
how they reflect the changes that have taken place in the organism, a rising
wave-like pattern appears (fig. 1, B and C). Even more pronounced differences
can be seen in the realization of the movement potential (fig. 1, D).
The stabilization of an effective training can follow two different structures. The
choice is to develop several performance capacities year-round or to concentrate
on certain capacities in separate mesocycles. The first possibility can be
responsible for a drop in performance and also brings with it monotony. The
second possibility has the danger that a concentration on a single aspect in one
stage can lead in the next stage to a drop of the achieved adaptation level.
CONCENTRATED BLOCKS
Strength training is responsible for a high level of fatigue, the indicators of work
capacity drop and muscular strength is reduced. However, the work capacity is
restored and strength indicators exceed the starting level after the direction of
training is changed (fig.4). This time is most effective for the realization of the
movement potential in order to adjust the technique to the level of the increased
performance capacities.
The more the organism is exhausted during the stages of large training volumes,
the better are the super-compensation results. Of course, there are limits and
complete exhaustion usually shows up in the restoration phase. If the limits are
exceeded, the recoveries must be extended, first between the workouts and,
when necessary, also between the micro- cycles. After both fail to bring the
desired recovery, the use of a large concentrated training volume must be
stopped and a longer restoration phase introduced to the program.
The strategy of using concentrated strength blocks in training is as follows:
The pattern for the development of the event specific work capacities,
including the time periods for the inclusion of concentrated strength
blocks, is planned.
The contents and the volume of event specific physical and technical
preparations are established.
It should be kept in mind in this strategy that the time available from the first
concentrated strength block to the peak of the competition season is limited to 18
to 22 weeks. After this, training must be again changed to a large volume but low
intensity general physical preparation phase.